Automobile signaling device.



G. M. DUCAS. AUTOMOBILE SIGNALING DEVICE. APPucAnon FILED APR. u. |916.

A TTOR/VEYS Patented July 10, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I y WT/VESSES:

G1 M. DUCAS.

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAUNG DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. H 1916.

Patented July l0, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

tilttvld lil'. DU'CLRS, BIRDGELPORT, CONECTICUT, ASSIGNOROF ONEJIALF TOOLGER GRONAGER, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

AUTOMOBILE SIGNALING DEVICE.

Application filed April 11, 1916.

To l Zi ivf/icm t may cof/wem.'

tie it known that i, Gannon M. DUCAS, a of the United States, and aresident of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairviield and State ciConnecticut, have .in-- vented a new and improved Automobile SignalingDevice, oi which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

lThis invention relates to a signaling apparatus especially adapted forautomobiles for indicating to the drivers of other automobiles or topedestrians the direction in which the automobile is to turn, or thefact that the automobile is to be stopped, the apparatus being of thattype in which arms or other indicators mounted at suitable points atopposite sides of the car can be thrown to andvtrom indicating positionwhere they will be in plain view.

The invention has for its general objects to improve and simplify theconstruction and operation of apparatus of the character referred to soas to be reliable and eiicient in use, comparatively simple andinexpensive to manufacture, and so designed as to be under theconvenient control of the driver.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of novelindicating devices, which, during the day, are unilluminated, and duringthe night are illuminated, and which by means of a simple and effectiveactuating or controlling means can be either independently orsimultaneously thrown to signaling position, the signaling device at theright being thrown to operative position when the vehicle is to besteered to the right, and the signaling-device at the left being 'thrownto operative position when the automobile is to be steered to the left,and "both devices being thrown to raised position ,when the car is tobestopped. y

With such objects in view, and others which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention comprises various novell -featuresor". construction and arrangement ci parts which will be set forth withpartici t1-ity in the following description and claims appended hereto.

in the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one embodiment ot' theinvention Specication o1 Letters Patent.

Patented duty im, 191W.. Serial No. 90,347.

and wherein similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding partsin all the views,

.Figure l is a vertical section of one of the signal devices, thesection being taken on the line 1mi, Fig. 3.;

Fig. 2 is side view of the controller or actuating means for the signaldevices;

F Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3 3, fig. l;

Fig. iis a detail sectional view on the line 1 -4, Fig, l, showing thedetails of the illuminated signal;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View on the line .5*5, Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the controller or actuator;

Fig. 7 isa vertical sectional view on the line 7-7, Fig. 6; V

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view on the line 8-*8, Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the central member of the controller.

Referring to the drawing, A designates one of the signal devices of theapparatus, and B is the controller therefor. It will be understood thattwo signal devices are employed, one at the right and the other at theleft sid-e. of the car, so as to indicate the direction in. which thecar is to be turned. The device A 4comprises a suitable shapld casing lwhich may be fastened asshown in the present instance to the dash C ofan automobile, and the outer lateral' wall of the casing has an opening2 outof which is adaptedto swing a signal arm This arm depends from apivot 4 suitably mounted in the casing 1 at the upper portion thereof,and on the lower end of the arm is carried an electric lamp 5 whichscrews into theV arm, which latter is tubular to accommodate the supplywire 6. The lamp 5 is inclosed within a suitable -housingconsisting ofoppositely disposed red lenses 7 fastened in an annular frame or'casingS ofsuitable construction. On the hub 9 of the arm 3 is carried acontact 10'separated by insulation'f- 11 from the hub, and with thiscontact. arranged in the top sition as to be engagedby the contact 10Another` contact-12- is the wire 6 is'c'onnectedl of the casin'gin suchpo.-

when the signal arm swings upwardly, to thereby close the lamp circuitwhen deslred for night service. The contact 12 1s ]ournaled in asuitable support 13 of porcelain arm 3, whereby, through the wire 6,contacts 11 and 12 and wire 14, the other terminal lamp will beconnected with the source of current.

The signal 'arm 3 vis normally disposed within the casing A and isadapted to be thrown from a vertical to an approximately horizontalposition by an actuating lever 2O which is fulcrumed at 21 in the upperportion of the vcasing, and this lever has an upper arm 22 that isconnected with a pull cord or equivalent element 23, there being .guidepulleys 24 in the casing whereby the. cord extends downwardly in thecasing and passes outl 4through an opening 25, thence arond arr-externalpulley 26 to the controller or actuator B. YA down pull on the cablecauses the lower -extremity of the lever .2() to throw the signal armupwardly7 to l on signaling position, and when the pu the cord isvremoved, the arm returns by gravity to its concealed position, and thelever 20 also moves with it, and shock is taken up by a cushioningspring 27 arranged in the casing in such a position as to be struck bythe upper arm 22 of the` lever 20.

The controller 13, which is preferably located at a point convenientlywithinA reach of the driver, is adapted to operate the signal devices atthe right and left side of the automobile independently orsimultaneously. This controller comprises a box 28 whichy has a slot 29at its top, and projecting up- 'wardly out of.` this slot are threelevers 30, '31, 32, the levers 30 and 32 being operative for actuatingthe right and left signal devices independently, and the lever 31 beingadapted. to `operate both signal devices together. These levers aremounted on a common shaft 33, and their lupper ends are formed withknobs or grips 34. The pull cords 23 are connected with the outer levers30 and 32, but the inner lever is provided with oppositely extendinglugs or arms 35 and 36 which engage in front of the levers 30 'and 32,respectively, whereby backward movement of the central lever will causethe outer levers 30 vand 32 to move with the central lever as a unit,thereby pulling both signal devlces up to signaling position.Spring-pressed catches 37 and 38lare arranged at the back portion of thebox in such position that the levers 30 and 32 can be enga ed thereby,for the purpose ,E causing t e catches to hold the levers 1n rearwardposition, where they hold the signalA devices raised. These catchesautomatically operate whether the levers 30 and 31 are independentlyactuated or simultaneously 4 actuated, and the catches are released bypressing the grips or handles 39 of the 75 catches together against thecompression of the spring 40. `When the catches are released, the levers30 and 32 swing forwardly by reason of the dropping of the signal arms 3and the levers. To reduce the, shock as the controller levers moveforwardly, the central lever has a cushioning spring 41 on its forwardside which bears against the front end of the slot 29 in the top of thebox.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawi ing, the advantages of the construction and method of operationwill be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which theinvention appertains, and while I have described the principle ofoperation, together with the device which I now consider to be the bestembodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shownis merely illustrative and that such changes may be made when desired'asfall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Lettersl 100 y box and extendingout of the same, means on the lever for engaging the first-mentionedlevers for simultaneous operation, and catches mounted on the `box forengaging only the first-mentioned levers when` the latter occupy aposition corresponding to the signaling position of the said elements.

\ 2. A signaling apparatus of the class described comprising a pluralityof sional elements and means for actuating the elements, said meanscomprising a supportingy structure, a plu'ralityoi` levers eachconnected with a corresponding element, a master lever having meanscngageable with the other levers for operating them simultaneously, anda catch means for each of the 'first-mentioned levers for locking thesame in a positioncorresponding to the signaling positionof the saidelements.

3. A signal apparatus of the class decorresponding to the signalingpositionof the said elements, and a buing device cer- 1 ried by themaster lever.

GEORGE M. DUCAS.'

Witnesses:

HOLGER GRONAGER, GEORGE BEssEY.

